Let's Get Ready to Launch Your Business!

Once you've done all of the background work on building your business, it's time to count down the days until the launch. As the big day draws near, here are the things you need to do to get ready to open your doors.

Test Everything

Far ahead of your launch, make sure that all of your systems work. Check all email addresses or other forms of contact. If you have an online store, make sure the shopping cart works. Test all technical aspects of your business so that once your business is open, there won't be any bumps in the road. Make sure you have your tech support service ready at-hand in case there are problems.

Develop a Launch Plan

Create a marketing plan that's specifically for your launch. Decide where you're going to publish what and when. Try to keep a steady stream of content about the launch as you lead up to the day.

Build the Buzz

Starting a month before your business launch, start building the buzz. Let people know that you're about to launch and give them a taste of what they can expect. Share information on social media. Wherever possible, get people involved. Hold contests or ask for ideas to get your audience interacting with you.

Seek Social Proof

One specific way to build the buzz is to reach out to influencers or experts in your niche and give them a sample of your product or service in exchange for a testimonial. They can tell others the benefits they got from using your offering and you can use this to promote your launch.

Conduct Research

As you get ready to launch, this is a great time to conduct some market research. Give select members of your audience a sneak preview of your business and get their feedback. See if there are any improvements they'd like to see made and tweak ahead of the big day.

Get Your Tracking Systems in Place

Choose the metrics you'll use to measure your business performance. Get a tracking system in place that involves regular monitoring and occasionally sitting down for a deeper analysis.

Consider an Initial Discount

You might want to consider offering a discount on products and services to celebrate the launching of your business. Offer a bonus, discount, or additional free offer for those who place orders on the first day. Set a limit to add some urgency.

Plan for the Big Day

You need to do more than just plan the pre-launch. You'll have to be on-hand to make sure that everything goes as smoothly as planned. There will also be things to do post-launch, like following up with customers, looking for new promotional opportunities, and watching your metrics.

Do you have a great business idea that you're ready to make a reality?

Yes??

I'm offering a full course that takes you through the process of launching a business step by step.

With the rise of online marketing over the last few decades, there is now a head-spinning variety of methods to add to traditional offline approaches you can use to put your offer in front of your target market.

Here are some of today's key marketing channels both online and off.

Social Media

Social media is a great place to conduct market research, build relationships with your audience, and promote your products and services. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram give you a wealth of information about the people who buy products like yours. You can get to know them and introduce them to your brand. Although people don't generally buy directly on social media, it has become an increasingly important step in the buying process.

Publish Content

Offer helpful advice and share your knowledge with readers by publishing articles about your topics. You can find offline publishing opportunities but the quickest way to get your work widely read is to publish online. You can start your own site or blog, or for even better results, find websites or blogs that publish articles. Get your work out there to reach a new audience.

Email Marketing

Start an email list and offer helpful content to your subscribers. Email is still the most intimate marketing channel on earth. Create a freebie offer in exchange for people signing up for your list and set up an opt-in page to capture names and addresses. You can promote products and services through your email messages, but most of the content should be informational and helpful, not promotional.

Search Engine Optimization

You'll still get a great deal of leads through search engines, so make sure that all of your websites are search engine friendly. Choose some good keywords and use them naturally throughout your text. Make sure your site is easy to navigate and try to build some backlinks into your site from related sites.

Offline Events

Attend trade shows, conferences, seminars and local events. Hold a booth and give a presentation if possible where you introduce your topic. Just like your content marketing, give people some information they can use and then tell them that you have more to offer.

Make sure you have professional business cards to hand out to people you meet offline. Your business card should be eye-catching and include not only your contact information, but a short blurb describing the unique value your business offers.

Networking is essential to growing a business and you should never miss an opportunity to meet someone and tell them what you do.

The Basics of Marketing

Remember that the concept of marketing is actually quite simple – just find your audience and put your offer in front of them. Choose the marketing channels where you can most easily and effectively reach your target market.

Do you have a great business idea that you're ready to make a reality?

Yes??

I'm offering a full course that takes you through the process of launching a business step by step.